Chair



CHAIR I n J |l Oct. 25, 1932. A. T. RoNk ET AL Filed May 19, 1950 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENroFFiCE ALBERT T. RONK AND ALVIN J'. OVERHOLT, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA, AS?

SIGNORS T THE PEABODYSEATING COMPAYINY,` 0F NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA,

A CORPORATION 0F INDIANA CHAIR Applicationl led May 19, 17930.y Serial No. 453,580.k

The object of our invention is to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive chair constructed principally of stock metal, and when so constructed is capable of being easily and quickly folded into compact form.

A further object is to provide a metal chair having improved means for locking the chair ither in its open or closed position.

Our invention consists in the construction,

o arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in

which:

Figure 1 is a rear kview of our improved chair in a folded position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same in its operative position.

Figur-e 3 shows the chair in a partially folded position.

Figure 4t is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Our improved chair comprises a front frame member 10, a back frame member 1l, and a seat portion 12. The front frame member is preferably formed of light 30 channel iron bent to form a frame of substantially U-shape. The parallel members 13 are spaced apart to receive the seat member 12 between them. The lower ends of the members 13 are secured in spaced rela-tion by .-3.5 means of a brace 14. The upper end of the frame member 10 has a sheet metal back 15.r

The back frame member 11 comprises two upright leg portions 16 having their upper j ends pivotally connected to the inner faces c of the members 13 by pivots 17. The members 16 are provided with braces 18 which provide means for fixing the said members 16 in spaced relation. The frame member 11 thus formed is adapted to be folded within 46 the frame member 10.

f The seat 12 is also formedn ofa U-shaped channel 19 havingits free ends connected by a cross brace`20. The yends vof the brace 20 project laterally fromthe edges of the frame 19 a slight distance.` Said brace 20 is secured to the under edges of the member 19. `A seat member 21 is secured to the frame 19. A second brace bar 22 is also secured to the under edges of the members 19 and provided with upwardlyv extending portions 23 pivotally connected to the members 13 by pivots 24;. f

Secured to each of the leg members 16 by means of a pivot 25 is a link 26. The free ends of the links 26 are connected to the side edges of the seat member 12 by means of pivots 27, in the manner clearly illustrated in Figure 2. 5 When the chair is in its 'open position, the seat 12 'is in a substantially horizontal position with'the frame member 10 projecting upwardly and rearwardly, and the frame member 11 projecting upwardly and forwardly rThe seat 12 is supported in sub-V stantially horizontal position with the for.- ward end of the seat projecting forwardly ofthe frame 10 in such manner that the weight applied to the forwardly projecting portion of the seat will cause the rear end of the seat to have a tendency to move upwardly.v The laterally projecting ends of the brace 20 engage the lower edge ofthe links 26 and thus limitthe upward movement of the rear end of the seat and the downward movement of the forward end. VVhenin this position, 80 the pivot member 27 is slightly above a line projecting through the pivot members 24 and 25,`so that` the chair is locked in an open position f until the Aforward edgel of the seat member 12 has been elevated, which will cause the back edge of the seat tobe Vlowered and the pivot member 27 lowered, permitting the frame 11 to be folded into the frame 10. Figurey 3 shows the chair in a partially` closed position; l i f The sum of the distance between the pivot j members 417' and 24 and between the pivots 23 and 27 is slightly greater than the sum of the distance between the pivot members 17 and 25 and the pivots 25 and 27, so that when the frame members 10 and 11 are in their closed positions, the said pivot members will be placed under slight strain.

The parts are so arranged that the pivot member 27 will pass a center line passing through the pivots 24, 25 and 17 in a manner illustrated in Figure 4. This locks the parts in a folded position, it being necessary to place the pivot members under strain before the unfolding` operation takes place.

By providing the brace members 20 and 14 with laterally projecting end portions, which in turn are connected to the leg members 13 in the manner clearly illustrated, We have provided means whereby the frame member 11 may be folded entirely within the frame member 10 and the seat member 12 within `both of said frame members, and when thus ,folded the entire thickness of the chair will .be equal to the width of the frame members i10, which in actual practice is equal to about one inch.

Thus it will be seen that we have provided a chair constructed principally of sheet metal, and which is adapted to be easily and A`quickly adjusted to folded or unfolded positions, and when adjusted to either of said positions, the chair will be automatically locked against accidental folding or unfolding, and at the same time suiiiciently braced to withstand comparatively rough usage.

7e claim as our invention:

1. A chair comprising an upwardly and rearwardly inclined frame member having a back port-ion at its Lipper end, an upwardly andl forwardly inclined frame member having its upper end pivoted to the first frame member at a point below its back portion, a horizontal seat, means pivotally connecting points intermediate the ends of the side edges of said seat to'the first frame member, a link pivoted to each side of said second frame projecting forwardly adjacent to the side edges of the rear end of said seat, means for pivotally connecting the free end of said links thereto, and laterally projecting lugs carried by the rear end of the seatengaging the under edges of said links for preventing upward movement of the rear end of said seat.

2. A chair comprising an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front member, formed of a U-shaped bar, an upwardly and forwardly inclined frame member having its upper end pivoted to theparallel side members of the iirst frame at a point intermediate its ends, a horizontal seat formed of a U-shaped frame having a seat member enclosing said frame, means pivotally connecting points intermediate the ends of the side edges of said seat to the first frame member, a link ,pivotally connected to each side of said second frame projecting forwardly adjacent to ,the side edges of the rear end of said seat, lmeans for pivotally connect-ing the free end of said links thereto, and laterally projecting lugs carried by the rear end of the seat engaging the under edges of said links for preventing upward movement of the rear end of said seat.

ALBERT T. RONK. ALVIN J. OVERHOLT. 

